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MLB News
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Written by Maury Brown
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Thursday, 21 February 2013 14:28 |
 The Rawlings S100 Pro Comp batting helmet can sustain pitches of 100mph and reduces the risk of concussion. All players will now be using it as part of latest labor agreement between MLB and the players. |
While the NFL has grabbed the headlines on the topic, the issue of concussions in Major League Baseball is being taken seriously. The concussion policy that was implemented prior to the 2011 season was improved as part of the latest CBA. As an example, all players undergo neuro-cognitive baseline testing during Spring Training or when they join a club each season. There are various assessment tools—both on the field and off—that trainers use to determine the level of a concussion, and based on that assessment, a player goes on the DL for varying lengths of time, to as little as 7 days or longer.
To try and address the matter further, the league has been working with Rawlings on a new helmet that can reduce the risk of concussions from pitches to the head area at speeds of 100 mph. As part of the new labor agreement, the sides agreed that the new helmet would be in place for the upcoming season, and be an upgrade of the bulkier ones first developed and tested by the likes of David Wright and were given the nickname “Great Gazoo” after the Flinstones character when they were initially tested in 2009 (see details and image, here) because of the bulkiness.
Now, the design has been improved and per the labor agreement, will begin seeing use with the start of this week's Spring Training exhibition games. The new S100 Pro Comp batting helmet will become the standard throughout Major League Baseball.
Approximately 200 MLB players elected to wear the Rawlings S100 Pro Comp last year before the league-wide rule went into effect, including National League batting champion Buster Posey of the World Series champion San Francisco Giants.
"Collectively with MLB and the MLB Players Association, we developed the Rawlings S100 Pro Comp batting helmet to provide increased protection for the world's best baseball players, while meeting their specific functional and performance demands," said Art Chou, senior vice president of product for St. Louis-based Rawlings. "The evolution of the Rawlings S100 product line clearly illustrates how we can deliver innovative protective solutions at the very highest level of the sport while still delivering high-performing equipment so these players can continue to play at their peak levels."
According to Rawlings the helmets are constructed of aerospace-grade carbon fiber composite, the new Rawlings S100 Pro Comp batting helmet provides technologically-enhanced protection for ball strikes up to 100 miles per hour. Earlier this week, the innovative Rawlings S100 Pro Comp helmet design was named a finalist for the Edison Awards in the category of material science-composites. The Edison Awards honors excellence in new product development and innovation.
The next-generation S100 Pro Comp is 300-percent stiffer and 130 times stronger than the traditional ABS plastic helmet that was the previous standard in Major League Baseball, yet features a significantly lighter and smaller design than previous S100 models that have been tested in recent years. The similarities in weight and size to the traditional helmet allow for a seamless transition to the Rawlings S100 Pro Comp for all MLB players.
"Protecting our players with the latest innovations in protection equipment is a top priority of Major League Baseball," said Dan Halem, Senior Vice President, Labor Relations, Major League Baseball. "Last year the Rawlings S100 Pro Comp received a great reception from the MLB players that chose to wear it, and we're pleased to take the next step and roll it out league-wide."
Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He writes for Baseball Prospectus and is a contributor to Forbes. He is available as a freelance writer. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network (select his name in the dropdown provided).
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Salary Arbitration
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Written by Maury Brown
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Wednesday, 20 February 2013 17:38 |
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The Biz of Baseball has been updated with new data…
As has been the case since we’ve launched, each year we spend a great deal of time focusing on salary arbitration in Major League Baseball. We’re providing a spreadsheet with a large amount of data found nowhere else to use.
This year saw 160 players that were eligible, 133 that filed for salary arbitration, 35 players exchange asking figures with their respective club offering numbers, and no salary arbitration hearings. With the exception of 1976 and ’77 when salary arbitration was suspended while free agency in the league was being implemented, it was the first time since 1974 when the process was put in place that there had been no hearings.
Other points of interest:
- A total of $473,010,000 was spent on the 160 players for the upcoming season, and increase of 106 percent from the 2012 salaries of $233,533,506 for the same players.
- Total contract dollars that included multi-year extensions for the 160 came to $619,085,000.
- Rangers starting pitcher Matt Harrison had largest total contract with his 5-year, $55 million contract.
- The largest increase in salary from 2012 to 2013 came to Giants catcher and NL MVP, Buster Posey. Posey reaped the rewards of not only a great performance last season, but being a first-time salary arb player. He earned $615,000 in his last season of club control with the Giants, and will earn $8 million in 2013, and increase of 1,201%
- There were 22 “Super Twos” that were part of this year’s class, up by six due to changes in the latest CBA that allows for more players with between two and three years of service time to be eligible. Drew Storen, Chris Johnson, Tyler Colvin, Everth Cabrera, Sam Fuld, and Josh Thole were the beneficiaries.
Make sure and catch my article on Baseball Prospectus that takes a deep into the 2013 MLB salary arbitration class and look at trends that are affecting not only salary arbitration, but free agency.
SELECT READ MORE TO SEE DETAILS FOR 160 SALARY ARBITRATION PLAYERS IN MLB FOR 2013
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Maury Brown Article Archive
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Written by Maury Brown
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Friday, 15 February 2013 17:29 |
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As the classic song by the O’Jays song said, “People love their money.” And, in pro sports, it’s no different. As television and digital media rights continue to escalate, so have the revenues pouring into the four major sports leagues in North America.
With the question often asked as to how much gross revenues are for the four, why not roll them all together.
The following shows:
- NFL revenues for the 2011-12 season
- MLB revenues for the 2012 season
- NBA revenues for the 2011-12 season
- NHL revenues for the 2012 season
As the graph shows, the NFL dwarfs the other three leagues. This is an advantage due to the massive national television media rights deals they have been able to broker. Baseball continues to grow, and will see a large up-tick next year as their new national TV deals doubles to $1.5 billion annually, and regional deals for the Padres, Astros, and most importantly, Dodgers, get underway. The NBA is $2.5 billion behind MLB for last season that was shortened due to the lockout, and the NHL takes up the rear at $3.3 billion. Hockey has a new labor deal, but it’s unsure how the lengthy lockout the nearly caused the season to be lost will impact the league in the coming years.

Source: Business of Sports Network research
Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He writes for Baseball Prospectus and is a contributor to Forbes. He is available as a freelance writer. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network (select his name in the dropdown provided).
Follow Maury Brown on Twitter 
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Television
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Written by Maury Brown
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Thursday, 14 February 2013 22:50 |
 The first real signs that regional sports network media rights fees are trickling down to customers comes via DirecTV |
Maybe the sports television rights bubble hasn’t burst quite yet, but the explosion in how much regional sports networks (RSNs) are expecting from the carriers is finally hitting your wallet.
Whether it is the Rangers ($3 billion), Angels ($3 billion), Astros with the Houston Rockets ($1.6 billion), Padres ($1.2 billion), or Dodgers ($7-$8 billion), and YES’ recent $3 billion valuation, in baseball alone, the massive rights deals being brokered with RSNs have created battles between the networks and carriers. When it hits the carriers, it eventually winds up in your cable or satellite bill.
The first significant case of this is happening with satcaster DirecTV. In August, DTV began adding a $3 a month surcharge for RSNs in markets that had more than one regional sports network. This mostly just impacted larger markets, but now, it will affect all.
Beginning this spring, DTV will expand the fee to all existing customers, meaning a $36 annual increase for consumers. And, DirecTV will not be the only one. As reported by Multichannel News:
Other distributors have followed DirecTV’s lead with the RSN charge – Verizon’s FiOS TV began implementing a $2.42 monthly charge for RSNs in California, Texas and Florida in February, with plans to expand to its remaining sates in March. In Maryland and Virginia, the surcharge will take effect in April.
So, while at the outset it was said that maybe the rights fee bubble may not yet have burst, it’s creating a problem as new deals across the sports landscape begin to have cumulative effect. Just last week, FOX Sports San Diego, which is the RSN that the Padres inked their $1.2 billion deal with, finally landed on DISH. DirecTV was one of the last large carriers to pick up TWC SportsNet, the RSN that was created with the Los Angeles Lakers as their key programming. The rights deal for the Lakers is a reported $4 billion. The Rockets, now nearly halfway through the season are not on DTV via CSN Houston, and the Astros—the largest stakeholder in the new Houston RSN—are about to begin the 2013 season not on DirecTV’s program menu.
Deals will continue to be brokered as media rights deals expire, but the battle to get them on the major carriers, or getting the massive deals that have been recently inked, will continue to be an issue.
Of course, none of this is good for fans. While the financial flexibility is something every sports fan loves to see their favorite club have, if it means a large spike in their cable or satellite TV bill, it comes with a price. The pin is positioned near the bubble. When will it make contact is the question.
Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He writes for Baseball Prospectus and is a contributor to Forbes. He is available as a freelance writer. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network (select his name in the dropdown provided).
Follow Maury Brown on Twitter 
Follow The Biz of Baseball on Twitter |
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Television
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Written by Maury Brown
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Tuesday, 12 February 2013 17:19 |
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With the beginning of Spring Training, MLB’s network partners are gearing up for the 2013 regular season. Today, MLB on FOX released their 2013 national broadcast schedule for the “Saturday Game of the Week.”
The 24-week schedule, includes eight consecutive weeks of primetime coverage for the second straight year leading to the 84th MLB All-Star Game. Every U.S.-based team makes at least one appearance this season, and at least one at home during the prime time stretch which begins in late May.
MLB on FOX regional coverage debuts on Saturday, April 6 with a three game schedule that features rematches of both 2012 League Championship Series and a key A.L. West showdown. That day, the defending American League Champion Detroit Tigers host the runner-up New York Yankees, and the World Champion San Francisco Giants welcome the St. Louis Cardinals, while Los Angeles Angels’ with Josh Hamilton returns to the Lone Star State as the Halos travel to face the Texas Rangers.
Primetime coverage of the 2013 season begins Saturday, May 25 (7:00-10:00 PM ET) with five contests featuring the Washington Nationals and N.L. Rookie of the Year Bryce Harper hosting their division rival Philadelphia Phillies, David Freese and the Cardinals in Los Angeles to take on Matt Kemp and the Dodgers; the New York Mets welcoming the Upton brothers and the Atlanta Braves; the Oakland Athletics visiting the Houston Astros, the American League’s newest member; and an interleague tilt with the Chicago White Sox at home against the Miami Marlins. The primetime schedule also includes interleague games on Saturday, June 15, June 22 and June 29, and culminates on July 13 with five games, including an N.L. Central battle between the Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs. In all, MLB on FOX presents 11 interleague games on eight dates.
The schedule on Saturday, June 1 features the first of this season’s record five Yankees/Red Sox rivalry clashes. It was during an April game on FOX last season that the Yankees, trailing Boston 9-0 after five innings, stormed back with seven runs in the seventh and eighth to notch the improbable 15-9 win. The Bosox and Bombers also square off on July 20, Aug. 17, Sept. 7 and Sept. 14.
The Nationals, Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds are each scheduled to make a maximum nine appearances on FOX, while the Yankees, Tigers, Cardinals, Braves and Dodgers are scheduled for eight appearances. As always, the final two Saturdays of the regular season are designated as “wild card” dates, allowing FOX Sports and MLB to choose games that have postseason implications. Potential selections include Giants-Yankees on Saturday, Sept. 21 and Angels-Rangers and Cubs-Cardinals on Saturday, Sept. 28.
In addition to its regular-season coverage, FOX Sports broadcasts the 84th MLB All-Star Game, live from Citi Field, the home of the New York Mets, on Tuesday, July 16 (7:30-11:30 PM ET), the American League Championship Series and the 109th World Series.
SELECT READ MORE TO SEE THE ENTIRE NATIONAL BROADCAST SCHEDULE FOR THE 2013 MLB REGULAR SEASON
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Maury Brown Article Archive
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Written by Maury Brown
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Tuesday, 12 February 2013 00:03 |
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This, folks, is not good. This isn’t the line for the DMV or to catch the matinee showing of “Fun Size”. No, this is what the line looked like 25 minutes before single-game tickets for the Miami Marlins 2013 season went on sale. This is what dumping $146.5 million in salary gets you one year after a brand new stadium opens built on the backs of taxpayers. The unfortunate thing is, the steep dive back into the attendance abyss for the Marlins will work to their advantage. Paring back salary at the detriment of attendance really is about cutting the margins down, and therefore, as in years past, the Marlins will profit by living off welfare. Dear Commissioner Selig, is the way to let one club tarnish the rest of the league?
For more, read this from Joe Capozzi of The Palm Beach Post
Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He writes for Baseball Prospectus and is a contributor to Forbes. He is available as a freelance writer. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network (select his name in the dropdown provided).
Follow Maury Brown on Twitter 
Follow The Biz of Baseball on Twitter |
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Maury Brown Article Archive
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Written by Maury Brown
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Saturday, 09 February 2013 12:58 |
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On Thursday, I took part in a series of mock salary arbitration cases that are appearing on Baseball Prospectus. In the case, I covered the Tigers’ side if Max Scherzer had gone to hearing. It was a tough case to make. Scherzer certainly anchored the rotation behind Justin Verlander.
The process of doing mock hearings is so enjoyable that I decided to play both sides of the street. On Thursday it was a case for the Tigers. Today, it’s my case for Scherzer. -- Maury Brown
+++++ +++++ +++++
In the case of Max Scherzer seeking a one-year salary arbitration salary for 2013 with the Detroit Tigers, a strong case is made that the $7.4 million salary he is seeking is fair, not only in comparison to his peers within his service time class this year, but in the year prior.
Scherzer compiled the finest season of his career, posting a 16-7 record, 3.74 ERA and 231 strikeouts in 32 starts. He was the #2 starter on the roster behind only Justin Verlander. His achievements on the season show clearly why the salary he is seeking is warranted. Scherzer’s 2012 platform season display that he is not only one of the best pitchers on the Tigers’ staff, but in all baseball for his ability to gain strikeouts and his winning percentage places him at the top of his salary arbitration class for starting pitchers. His season accomplishments provide ample evidence.
- He ranked second in all of Major League Baseball in strikeouts behind only Verlander (231)
- Led the American League in stikeouts per 9 innings (1.08)
- His winning percentage of .696 ranked ahead of teammate Verlander and fourth behind only CC Sabathia, Jered Weaver, and David Price in the American League,
- Scherzer struck out nine-or-more batters in 13 of his starts during the season and topped all major league pitchers with 13 such outings. His 13 such games marked the most by a Tigers pitcher since Mickey Lolich posted 15 games with nine-or more strikeouts in 971.
- Finished 4-0 with a 4.04 ERA (35.2IP/16ER) and 51 strikeouts in six starts during May -- according to the Elias Sports Bureau, it marked only the fourth time a Tigers pitcher posted an unbeaten record with at least four wins and 50 strikeouts during a calendar month, In doing so, he joined Jack Morris (August of 1983) and Justin Verlander (May of 2009 and June of 2011) in accomplishing the feat.
- Scherzer led the American League with 51 strikeouts during May, while he tied for the lead with four wins.
- He struck out at least eight batters in 10 consecutive starts July 19-September 7 which marked the longest such streak of outings by a Tigers pitcher since at least 1918.
- Scherzer won five straight starts August 10-September 1, compiling a 1.03 ERA (35.0IP/4ER) and 44 strikeouts -- according to the Elias Sports Bureau, he became the first pitcher in Tigers history to win five straight starts while averaging more than one strikeout per inning and not allowing more than two runs during any of the starts.
- He was the Tigers Pitcher of the Month for August after compiling a 4-0 record, 2.25 ERA (32.0IP/8ER) and 44 strikeouts in five starts during the month -- tied for the lead in the American League with four wins during August, while he tied for second with 44 strikeouts and was seventh with a 2.25 ERA.
- Finished 2-1 with a 2.17 ERA (29.0IP/7ER) and 33 strikeouts in five starts during September
- Limited righthanded hitters to a .201 batting average (66x329) while lefties batted .292 (113x387) with him on the mound
- He received votes for AL Pitcher of the Month in August (4-0, 2.25 ERA, 9 BB, 44 SO) and in September (2-1, 2.17 ERA, 29.0 IP, 4 BB, 33 SO).
Compared to his peers in his service group, he is at the top of several statistical categories:
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Platform
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IP
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G
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GS
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ERA
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W
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L
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W PCT
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H
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Ks
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Homer Bailey
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2012
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208
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33
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33
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3.68
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13
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10
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.565
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206
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168
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Jason Hammel
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2012
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118
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20
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20
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3.43
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8
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6
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.571
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104
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113
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Max Scherzer
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2012
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187.2
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32
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32
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3.74
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16
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7
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.696
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179
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231
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In comparison to Jason Hammel of the Orioles: Scherzer is seeking a salary of $7.4 million compared to Hammel’s $8.25 million. And yet, Scherzer posts twice as many wins (16), and struck out a staggering 122 more batters faced.
Compared to Homer Bailey: he has a higher winning percentage, gave up 27 less hits, and struck out 68 more batters in 20.8 less innings pitched.
Scherzer’s salary of $7.4 million he is seeking is also warranted based on comparable players in the year prior with the same amount of service time.
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Platform
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IP
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G
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GS
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ERA
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W
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L
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W PCT
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H
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R
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ER
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HR
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BB
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Ks
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Max Scherzer
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2012
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187.2
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32
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32
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3.74
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16
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7
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.696
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179
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82
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78
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23
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60
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231
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Matt Garza
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2011
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198
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31
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31
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3.32
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10
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10
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.500
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186
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90
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73
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14
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63
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197
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In 2011, Matt Garza of the Chicago Cubs was within the same Major League service time range as Scherzer is now (4 years). Garza had sought a salary of $12.5 million—a staggering $5.1 million more than what Scherzer is seeking. Ultimately, Garza and the Cubs reached a settlement of $9.5 million, still more than $2 million than what Scherzer is seeking. And yet, they are very closely matched statistically. While Scherzer gave up more home runs, he had less walks. When adjusting for the amount of innings pitched, the amount of hits, runs, and earned runs are within a very small margin. Scherzer’s winning percentage is 196 points higher than Garza, and yet he is seeking far less in pay.
Based upon the performance and pay of his peers, Max Scherzer clearly deserves the $7.4 million he is seeking. The $6.5 million that the Tigers are offering would be a disservice to a stellar 2012 season for the Tigers’ starter.
Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He writes for Baseball Prospectus and is a contributor to Forbes. He is available as a freelance writer. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network (select his name in the dropdown provided).
Follow Maury Brown on Twitter 
Follow The Biz of Baseball on Twitter |
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Maury Brown Article Archive
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Written by Maury Brown
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Thursday, 07 February 2013 15:55 |
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He’s call him the “King” and now he’s getting paid like one.
Today, the Seattle Mariners reached an agreement with former AL Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez to a 7-year, $175 million contract. In doing so he becomes the highest-paid pitcher in baseball. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the deal is expected to be finalized before Spring Training. As reported by Nightengale:
Hernandez was scheduled to earn $19.5 million in 2013 and $20 million in '14. Instead, his new contract will take effect this season and pay him a record average annual value of $25 million through 2019.
So, how does the contract rate against his current and former peers?
By average annual value (AAV) he ranks #4 tied with Ryan Howard and Josh Hamilton at $25 million, and surpasses the Dodgers’ Zack Grienke who’s AAV for his 2013-18 deal is $24.5 million as the highest AAV for a starting pitcher.
As mentioned, in terms of total dollars he surpasses CC Sabathia’s 7-year, $161 million deal that runs 2009-15 as the highest paid pitcher. He ranks #9 overall below Mark Teixeira of the Yankees who has a 8-year, $180 million deal that runs 2009-16.
And while the total dollars are nothing to sneeze at, the contract length is fraught with risk. The 7-year deal ties him with Sabathia, and Kevin Brown’s deal in 1998 for $105 million with the Dodgers as some of the longest in MLB history for a starting pitcher. Only the 8-year, $121 million contract that Mike Hampton reached with the Colorado Rockies in 2000 ranks longer for an active player. Prior to the 1977 season, Wayne Garland signed a 10-year, $2.3 million deal with the Cleveland Indians. He retired after the 1981 season and Garland never played through the entire contract length.
Hernandez is now 26, turning 27 on April 8. By the time the contract expires in 2019 he will be 33 years old.
And while the deal looks extraordinary now, just wait... Justin Verlander is waiting in the wings and is more than likely to top Hernandez sometime soon.
Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He writes for Baseball Prospectus and is a contributor to Forbes. He is available as a freelance writer. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network (select his name in the dropdown provided).
Follow Maury Brown on Twitter 
Follow The Biz of Baseball on Twitter |
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Television
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Written by Maury Brown
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Wednesday, 06 February 2013 17:00 |
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FOX Sports San Diego and DISH today announced that as of April 1, 2013, DISH San Diego customers will have access to the Padres, Clippers and Ducks, plus other local sports events for the Southern California franchises. FOX Sports San Diego will be available for local DISH customers with the America’s Top 120 Plus and Latino Dos packages. Financial terms were not released.
The Padres receive $200 million in upfront money as part of the Fox Sports San Diego rights deal valued $1.2 billion over 30-years. The club has a 20 percent ownership stake in the regional sports network.
“We're delighted that DISH is making Padres on FOX Sports San Diego available to their valued customers,” said Henry Ford, Senior Vice President and General Manager, FOX Sports San Diego. “On Opening Day 2013 Padres baseball will be delivered to more households than ever before.”
Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He writes for Baseball Prospectus and is a contributor to Forbes. He is available as a freelance writer. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network (select his name in the dropdown provided).
Follow Maury Brown on Twitter 
Follow The Biz of Baseball on Twitter |
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Articles & Opinion
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Written by Angie Picardo
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Friday, 01 February 2013 21:54 |
 What could have been... Cisco Field in Fremont |
This is a guest article by Angie Picardo
"It's getting ugly in Oakland" might best describe the A's ongoing battle. Despite over 40 rich years of history in their fair city, the Athletics are preparing for a future approximately 40 miles south in San Jose. The man behind the upheaval of an Oakland institution is none other than A's owner Lew Wolff. To paint Wolff as a Grinch may be uncalled for. He's simply a businessman with roots in the real estate industry, who has gone on record as starting that there is no viable long term solution in Oakland. To many in Oakland, however, he is evil incarnate.
Despite a season that defied expectations and included a Western Division title and the organizations first playoff berth since 2006, the A's are no closer to obtaining a new home than before. However, 2012 brought a renewed interest in the team, and their passionate fans were lauded for their support during the season’s final weeks. Overall attendance still failed to impress. A total attendance of 1,679,013 made their way thought the turnstiles in 2012, leaving the A's in the very bottom of the league and finishing 27th out of 30 teams. This is nothing new to Wolff and fellow owners, who have watched attendance plummet since taking over the team in 2005.
Wolff's first move in Oakland was to propose a move south to Fremont, California in 2006 (see computer renderings of the Cisco Field design in Fremont). The inception of the idea was generated around the idea of the creation of a "baseball village" which would include a grand shopping, residential, and sports facility that would be constructed over a 143-acre parcel of land near interstate 880. The plan was met with a mixture of confusion and animosity from A's fans, who didn't understand why Wolff would move their team to a less populated area. In Fremont, Wolff saw the opportunity to implement his vision without the constraints of Oakland's economy and lack of suitable space for development. The idea fell through before they could break ground due to concerns over public transportation and a high level of resistance from the Fremont community and city council.
During this time, Wolff quickly dismissed any and all overtures from the city of Oakland to keep the team. With the outdated and decrepit Oakland Coliseum failing to meet the needs of either the team or fans, options and proposals have bet set forth with little resolution.
Wolff has turned his attention further south to the tech savvy and affluent San Jose area, aligning himself with the supportive city council of the city. He has made progress in recruiting corporate sponsorship through Cisco enterprises, and has purchased land around the proposed area for a stadium. In many ways, the team is operating under the belief that San Jose will be the eventual future home of the Athletics. Standing in their way are the San Francisco Giants, who refuse to relent territorial right over the area. These rights however, are only in their hands thanks to the goodwill of former Athletics owner Walter Haas who gifted the Giants with the territory in the mid 80's when they sought to relocate away from Candlestick Park. For now, an agreement that appeases both ownerships is on the agenda for Commissioner Bud Selig whose had not been able come up with a compromise after more than two years of sitting on the issue.
The city of Oakland, fighting to hold onto a trio of teams that desperately want to leave have continually stood by the stance that they have the ability to support professional sports. A committee organized by the mayor's office, has proposed a pair of locations within the city to build a park to keep the Athletics. Both locations which near Jack London Square, have been shot down by Wolff and his cohorts and deemed as having "no ability to be implemented for a ballpark".
With the team's future essentially on hold, and playing season after season in the only active multi-purpose ballpark in sports, the time is now for a decision. If the Athletics cannot be moved within the Bay Area, Lew Wolff must sell the team to a buyer who will form an alliance with the city and build the stadium that the true fans deserve. After all, isn't it true that "if you build it, they will come"?
We'll just have to wait and see.
Angie Picardo is a staff writer for NerdWallet, a personal finance website. |
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